Diabetes UK Cymru and Caerphilly AM Jeff Cuthbert are asking AMs to shout down the myths about diabetes in an event at the Welsh Assembly for Diabetes Week.
The charity and Mr Cuthbert have joined forces to ask AMs to spread the word about diabetes myths at the media briefing room at the National Assembly’s Senedd.
Held between noon and 2pm on June 15, the event will enable AMs to learn more about diabetes myths, meet people living with the condition across Wales and learn how they can help Diabetes UK Cymru to spread the word about the myths.
These myths include:
The charity and Mr Cuthbert are hosting the event to mark Diabetes Week between June 13 and June 19.
Nearly one in 20 people in Wales are now diagnosed with the condition – 146,000 – and a further 50,000 are thought to have the condition and not know it.
The event will be held hours after the second meeting of the Cross-Party Group on Diabetes at the Assembly, which was set up in March to provide a forum for organisations, policy makers and people with diabetes in Wales
Dai Williams, National Director of Diabetes UK Cymru, said: “We are delighted to be working with Jeff Cuthbert AM to host this event to mark Diabetes Week and highlight the myths that still remain about diabetes.
“With more and more people diagnosed with the condition every day in Wales, it is essential that we raise awareness of these misconceptions and diabetes itself.
“Too often we hear the myths that Type 2 diabetes is not as serious as Type 1, that eating too much sugar causes diabetes and that people with diabetes can’t enjoy doing sports.
“Diabetes Week and this event give us the perfect opportunity to stamp out these myths for good in Wales and we hope many AMs will join us to spread the word.”
Mr Cuthbert, who has Type 2 diabetes, said: “I am very pleased to be able to host this event today in recognition of Diabetes Week across the UK.
“Too little is publicly known about the threat of diabetes and the soaring numbers of cases across Wales.
“There are a tremendous number of people with diabetes in Wales and another 50,000 more people don’t know they have it.
“Ten per cent of the NHS budget is already spent on diabetes and if diabetes is not managed properly it will lead to a greater chance of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.
“It is imperative that we dispel the myths surrounding diabetes and encourage those who think they are at risk or experiencing symptoms to go and see their GP as soon at possible.”
